Article 5(1) of the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin (‘the Convention’) provides that a third party may become a Contracting Party to the Convention provided that the candidate country or territory has a free trade agreement in force, providing for preferential rules of origin, with at least one of the Contracting Parties.

The Republic of Moldova submitted a written request for accession to the Convention to the depositary of the Convention on 17 July 2013.

The Republic of Moldova is a member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement between Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo

This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244(1999) and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

Article 4(3)(b) of the Convention provides that the Joint Committee shall adopt by decision invitations to third parties to accede to the Convention.

The Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein have informed the secretariat of the Joint Committee that they have not been able to complete their internal procedures prior to the meeting of 21 May and that, in accordance with Article 4(4) of the Convention, their acceptance of the decision at that meeting is subject to the completion of these procedures,